Chrysanthemum plant named Canela

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Canela particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; anemone capitulum type; bronze ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 64 to 80 mm when fully opened, with anemone cushion diameter of 23 to 26 mm; photoperiodic flowering response to short days of 53 to 57 days when grown in Salinas, Calif., and 66 to 70 days when grown in Bogota, Colombia; peduncle length of the first lateral of 13 to 15 cm, and of the fourth lateral of 18 to 23 cm, when grown without growth regulator applications, on open, terminal sprays; plant height of 84 to 91 cm when grown as a single stem spray cut mum in Salinas, Calif. with 6 to 7 long days prior to start of short days, and a height of 97 to 102 cm when grown in Bogota, Colombia with 14 to 15 long days prior to start of short days; and excellent tolerance to low night temperatures for bud initiation and flower development.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name Canela.

Canela, identified as 84-185012, was originated from a cross made byCornelis P. VandenBerg in a controlled breeding program in Salinas,Calif., in 1983.

The female parent of Canela was an unnamed seedling, identified as78-546013, and described as a pink daisy cut spray mum. The male parentof Canela was an unnamed seedling, identified as 78-19015, and describedas a white anemone cut spray mum.

Canela was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross by Cornelis P. VandenBerg in October 1984,in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Canela was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in December1984 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., by techniciansworking under the supervision of Cornelis P. VandenBerg.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Canela are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

Canela has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength. Forexample, plant height will increase with an increased number of longdays after planting prior to start of short days. Under low nighttemperatures (10 degrees Celsius and lower) flowering can be expected tobe delayed. Under high temperatures (25 degrees Celsius night and 35degrees Celsius day) flowering can be expected to be delayed and be moreuneven than under normal temperatures. Normal temperatures can bedescribed as 15 degrees Celsius minimum night and 25 degrees Celsiusmaximum day.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Salinas, Calif. and in Bogota, Colombia under greenhouseconditions which approximate those generally used in commercialgreenhouse practice. The low night temperature tolerance was determinedin repeated flowerings in Bogota, Colombia.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Canela, which, in combination, distinguishthis Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Anemone capitulum type.

3. Bronze ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 64 to 80 mm when fully opened,with an anemone cushion diameter of 23 to 26 mm.

5. Flowering response in Salinas under normal temperatures is 53 to 57days after start of short days. Flowering response in Bogota, Colombiaunder minimum 7 degrees Celsius night and maximum 29 degrees Celsius dayis 66 to 70 days after start of short days.

6. Peduncle length of the first lateral at flowering after removing theapical bud without growth regulator applications is 13 to 15 cm whengrown in Salinas, Calif., and 13 to 15 cm when grown in Bogota,Colombia. Peduncle length of the fourth lateral at flowering is 18 to 23cm when grown in Salinas, and 20 to 23 cm when grown in Bogota.

7. Plant height is 84 to 91 cm when grown in Salinas with 6 to 7 longdays prior to start of short days, and the height is 97 to 102 cm whengrown in Bogota with 14 to 15 long days prior to start of short days.

8. Excellent tolerance to low night temperatures for bud initiation andflower development. Average minimum low night temperatures in our Bogotatrials ranged from 7 to 8.5 degrees Celsius.

The above measurements represent repeated flowerings over a period of aminimum of two years.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence andleaf characteristics of Canela, with the colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type.

Sheet 1 is a color photograph of Canela grown as a single stem cut spraymum.

Sheet 2 is a black and white photograph of three views of theinflorescence of Canela.

Sheet 3 is a black and white photograph showing the upper and undersides of the leaves of Canela at three stages of development (mature,intermediate and immature).

Of the cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparisonto Canela is the cultivar identified as Leona, described as a bronzeanemone spray cut mum, disclosed in U.S. plant patent application Ser.No. 359,922, now U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,315. Reference is made toattached Chart A, which compares certain characteristics of Canela tothe same characteristics of Leona. Because of its marginal low nighttemperature tolerance, Leona is not being grown in Bogota, Colombia, andChart A accordingly shows no measurements of Leona at that location.

Similar traits are capitulum form and type, spray formation, andpeduncle length. Plant height of both cultivars is comparable. Canelahas a smaller diameter of capitulum, a longer flowering response toshort days, and a better low night temperature tolerance. In addition,the ray floret color of Canela is a blend of different shades of bronze,while the primary ray floret color of Leona is a more uniform, muchlighter yellow-orange, overcast with bronze. The respective colors aresignificantly different although both are in the general bronzecategory.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. Because of the blend of differentshades of bronze in each flower, a precise description of the ray floretcolor is extremely difficult. The values given are those believed to beclosest to the actual color of Canela. The color values were determinedon plant material grown in Salinas, Calif. on Aug. 2, 1989.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Canela.

Commercial.--Anemone cut spray mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Anemone.

Diameter across face.--64 to 80 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Bronze.

Color (upper surface).--When fully opened, 163B, tinged and streakedwith 171B. Color of flower buds are very dark, closest to 178A to 178B.

Color (under surface).--163B to 163C, streaked with 171B to 171C.

Shape.--Straight, flat, oblong.

C. Corolla of disc florets (Anemone cushion):

Color (mature).--Closest to 14A, tinged and streaked with 171B.

Color (immature).--151A to 151B, tinged with 171B.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; no pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--84 to 91 cm when grown as a single stem cut mum with 6 to 7long days prior to start of short days in Salinas, Calif.; 97 to 102 cmwhen grown as a single stem cut mum with 14 to 15 long days prior tostart of short days in Bogota, Colombia.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--See photograph.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        COMPARISON OF CANELA AND LEONA                                                CHARACTERISTIC  CANELA       LEONA                                            ______________________________________                                        Ray floret color                                                                              Bronze       Light bronze                                     Capitulum form  Flat         Flat                                             Capitulum type  Anemone      Anemone                                          Spray formation Terminal     Terminal                                         Peduncle length                                                               lst lateral, Salinas                                                                          13 to 15 cm  13 to 15 cm                                      4th lateral, Salinas                                                                          18 to 23 cm  18 to 23 cm                                      lst lateral, Bogota                                                                           13 to 15 cm  Not available                                    5th lateral, Bogota                                                                           20 to 23 cm  Not available                                    Diameter across 64 to 80 mm  76 to 89 mm                                      face of capitulum                                                             Plant height                                                                  6-7 long days, Salinas                                                                        84 to 91 cm  81 to 89 cm                                      14-15 long days, Bogota                                                                       97 to 102 cm Not available                                    Flowering response period                                                     in Salinas      53 to 57 days                                                                              44 to 49 days                                    in Bogota       66 to 70 days                                                                              Not available                                    Low night temperature                                                                         Excellent    Marginal                                         tolerance                                                                     ______________________________________                                        Comparisons Made of Plants Grown as Single Stem                               Spray Cut Mums in Salinas, California, and                                    Characteristics of Plants of Canela Grown in Bogota, Colombia                 ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named Canela, asdescribed and illustrated.